The claimEvidence C · limited
Exercisers should take salt tablets
The evidence
Routine salt tablets are unsupported and can be counterproductive for most exercisers; sodium is covered by food + electrolyte drinks, and only very salty, high-intensity sweaters need individualized sodium (NATA 2017).
The mechanism, in brief
A few old claims about exercising in the heat do not hold up.
Sources (3)
- McDermott, B. P., Anderson, S. A., Armstrong, L. E., Casa, D. J., Cheuvront, S. N., Cooper, L., Kenney, W. L., O'Connor, F. G., & Roberts, W. O. (2017). National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Fluid replacement for the physically active. Journal of Athletic Training, 52(9), 877-895.
- Sawka, M. N., Burke, L. M., Eichner, E. R., Maughan, R. J., Montain, S. J., & Stachenfeld, N. S. (2007). American College of Sports Medicine position stand: Exercise and fluid replacement. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39(2), 377-390. Abstract content: drink to prevent excessive dehydration (more than 2% body-weight loss from water deficit) and excessive electrolyte change; sweat rates and sweat electrolyte content vary considerably between individuals, so programmes should be customised, e.g. by weighing before and after exercise. The abstract gives no sweat sodium or potassium figures (abstract, PMID 17277604).
- Racinais, S., Alonso, J. M., Coutts, A. J., et al. (2015). Consensus recommendations on training and competing in the heat. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 49(18), 1164-1173.